Medical Biochemical Analysis Students Conduct a Field Visit to the Histopathology Laboratory at Erbil International Hospital

On Thursday, 16th October 2025, third-stage students (Group C1) from the Department of Medical Biochemical Analysis at Cihan University–Erbil conducted a field visit to the Histopathology Laboratory at Erbil International Hospital, under the supervision of Assistant Lecturer Ms. Zubayda Hisham Shakr and Laboratory Assistant Ms. Manar Firas.

The practical session was guided by Ms. Zainab Jalal Ali, a histopathology specialist at the hospital, who provided a detailed explanation of the laboratory workflow and demonstrated each stage of the histopathological analysis process.

Students observed how pathological tissue samples are received and processed, starting with fixation in formalin to preserve cellular and tissue structures. Ms. Zainab Jalal Ali then explained the subsequent steps, including tissue dehydration, clearing, paraffin embedding, and microtome sectioning, which allow for the preparation of thin tissue slices for microscopic examination.

She also demonstrated the Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining technique, the most widely used method in histopathology. She explained that hematoxylin stains the nuclei blue, while eosin colors the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix pink, enabling clear differentiation of tissue components.

After staining, students observed how the prepared slides were examined under a light microscope to detect pathological changes such as necrosis, inflammation, or abnormal cellular morphology. Ms. Zainab Jalal Ali emphasized the role of histopathology in identifying tumors, chronic diseases, and degenerative tissue changes, which support accurate clinical diagnosis.